Legend of Zelda: Warrior of Darkness
by KA-336
Summary: Water lapped at Link's boots. A series of splashes followed him as he moved. He set stepped onto the small mound that kept the tree rooted. There were mirrors of various shapes and sizes that were stuck to the trunk. His reflection stared back. "So you're the supposed Hero." The reflection's crimson eyes flashed with mirth as it regarded Link's stock still form. "Not any more."


_A soft breeze drifted through the barren village. It brought with it the cacophony of lost souls, spinning tales about an augury of torment. No one was left in the village to witness their lament. It was an elegy that would go unheard to all but the deceased._

_And him._

_He stood amidst the centre of the village with closed eyes. The wailing brushed softly against his face in the form of a gentle wind. The sky was dark, the atmosphere harrowing, and yet the caressing air made him feel much at ease._

_"Link..."_

_With that one word, peace began to fracture. The sense of serenity not easily caught waned as he opened his eyes to address the speaker. A woman made of light stood before him with an aura of divinity. It was nearly difficult to look at, almost as though he were gazing upon the sun itself. He quickly found himself without a voice. Such sanctity could only come from a goddess._

_"What did you do...?"_

_He was confused by her words. They were so soft, so delightful to listen to, yet the accusation behind them had left him stupefied. He hadn't done a single thing besides listen to the breeze._

_"Look around you!" The goddess' ambiance, although divine, was enshrouded with despondency and trepidation. It was for him; of him. "What did you do!?"_

_His heart clenched with apprehension. He wanted to conciliate her sorrows and fears but foreboding kept him from adhering to her instruction. They stood in silence as one stared at the other; him unknowing what warranted such words and her anticipating the inevitable._

_As divinity had predicted, curiosity had ultimately won and he found himself looking around to bear witness of what had earned her distress._

_The village wasn't as desolated as he had originally believed. Oh, it was devoid of life save him and the goddess, but there were people._

_More specifically, **bodies**._

_The soil was soaked red as lifeblood flowed from the corpses of their owners. Every single cadaver was strewn carelessly through the grass with a vacant stare facing his way. Each glassy pair of eyes were accusing. Judgmental. Damning._

_"N-no," he choked. He couldn't have done this. He **wouldn't **have done this._

_"Look! at your hands!" the deity hissed._

_He raised them up to his face. The color drained from it when he took notice of the crimson that stained his digits. His limbs. Himself. There was so **much **of it._

_"I didn't!" he cried. "I **wouldn't**."_

_"You **did**."_

_Darkness sprang up from his shadow with little warning. He heard himself shout as he tried to spring away from them. It achieved little to no effect, the very shadows chaining him to the ground. He cried, he screamed, he writhed, and yet the darkness refused to release him constraints. It climbed hungrily up his legs, clawed at his torso, and devoured his arms. He reached out towards the goddess, her form still and unmoving, as he begged for her assistance._

_"You are a walking disaster."_

Deep, azure eyes gradually pulled themselves open. The images fell into nothing as they were immediately replaced with reality. Link's gaze was focused solely upon the wooden ceiling as whatever dreams he had dissolved into nothing. He made no move to call them back, especially since the last words of that dream continued to linger within his mind.

_You are a walking disaster..._

Something wet found it's way down the side of his face. Link blinked when he raised his hand to the affected area and pulled it back to stare at it. His skin shined faintly in the sunlight where it was now damp, confirming what Link thought it was.

_Tears._

A deep frown settled on his mouth. He sat up in his bed and rubbed his face to rid himself of the unbidden leakage. Link couldn't quite fathom what about those words were making him cry when he was aware of how true they were. Anyone that Link got close to often met an unfavorable end. It was almost as though it was the law of the world.

Maybe that is why it is affecting him such. Because of how true it was.

The Hylian dropped his hands into his lap as he released an audible sigh. With nothing stimulating to do, he found himself looking around the room he was sleeping in. It wasn't a big room, it was actually a little small for the cost it of it, and mostly barren save for the bedroom necessities and a few of Link's items.

Link had been unable to figure out what goddess took pity on him since he arrived at Kolog Inn. Two months ago, he arrived at a small, inconspicuous village just within Hyrule Forest with hardly any rupees to spend. He only had enough for a night's stay and the woman at the counter, who also happened to be the owner and permanent resident of Kolog Inn, allowed him to rent a bedroom for free. Either it was because of how poor he was or how he didn't have a guardian, Link didn't know and certainly didn't care to ask. Amira was not only nice enough to allow him to stay as long as he desired for free but also went out of her way to buy him some extra clothes.

His eyes settled on the sheath sword that leaned unremarkably against the wall before drifting to a black belt and matching pouch that rested on the dresser. Besides the clothes he had arrived in, those were the only objects Link had that were actually _his._ They have witnessed every hell he had and held enough sentimental value that he became uneasy if he didn't know where they were. The pouch alone was crafted by someone who was very dear to Link.

He pushed those thoughts from his mind before they could fester into something dreary. It wouldn't do for Link to become depressed when he knew of the company he was to keep. They were keen to his antics and would become concerned should something seem off. He didn't wish for them to waste their worries on him.

With that in mind, Link maneuvered himself to the edge of the mattress and stood up. He knit his fingers together and turned his palms upwards as he stretched his arms up above him and his back to the best of his ability. Link was awarded with a sickening crack from his shoulders that nearly made him flinch but the sense of relief that filled his limbs more than made up for it. The content sigh that escaped from him was almost as uninvited as the tears were. Link felt himself tense as his gaze darted around the room, as though someone would be there to reprimand him for the small luxury.

It was just him, of course.

_I need to leave, _Link thought firmly. He made his way over to the closet where his clothes were hanging. He selected himself a beige shirt, black trousers, and a pair of boots to get changed into.

Link didn't want to leave Kolog Inn because he didn't like it. On the contrary, he loved it. The village was small, the locals were nice, and it was out-of-the-way enough that only the most strangest travelers would come stopping by. As Link's dream had aptly stated, he _was _a walking disaster. And he had already stayed here as long as he dared.

The Hylian was about to leave when he caught sight of himself in the mirror. Link couldn't help but scrunch his brows together at the horrible state his hair was in. His bedhead had a habit of knotting up until it resembled a nest worthy for vermin. He suppose that it was only by a rare stroke of luck that it was an easy fix. Link ran his digits through his dark brown locks, the strands coming apart and falling as they should with ease. In no time at all, his hair had returned to his usual style and he was ready for the day.

Or, almost. He caught sight of his left hand when he had lowered it. It was completely uncovered, leaving it bare to the world.

Now if his hand was like any other, Link wouldn't care for hiding it from other's sight. In fact, he usually neglects to cover his right hand because of this. As it were, the back of Link's hand had a _very _distinguishable marking on it. Every race native to Hyrule knew of it.

Three dark gold triangles forming a larger triangle. A gift from the Three Goddesses. The Triforce.

Having it was more of a curse than a blessing, in Link's opinion. The lower right triangle had only lit up once in the entirety that Link has held it. There were many people who worshiped the Triforce completely... and many people who hated it just as much.

Link was unfortunate enough to meet the latter.

A series of knocks at the door disturbed Link from his thoughts. He bit back a curse as he snatched up his wrappings from the nightstand and began to hide the Triforce from view. "Just a moment!"

Never had he been so glad that he had wrapped his hand so many times that he was finished in less then a minute. After ensuring that the Triforce was hidden completely and the wrappings stayed strong, it was only then that he opened his bedroom door. A girl who had yet to meet her teens stood just outside. With ebony hair carefully plated, her vivid green eyes stuck out against her fair skin as she wore a white, spaghetti strap shirt and a lavender skirt.

"Link!" she beamed. "I was wondering when you were going to wake up. You missed breakfast!"

The brunette raised an eyebrow at this knowledge. He slept in? Link often rose with the sun so it was a peculiarity for him to miss breakfast. His mind reached back to the dream he couldn't remember. It didn't feel restful at all.

"There's no need to worry though. Momma saves you some leftovers. We thought that you helping Bannes with the horses last night must've tired you out."

Right, there was that too.

Link smiled softly at the girl. "Thank you, Mila. That's very kind."

"S'no problem." Mila bounced on the balls of her feet. "You're going to see Ronak, right? Can you meet with me later? There's this bird that I want to catch."

He nodded. "I will probably stop by for a quick hello. I'll find you afterwards."

"I'll wait for you at Swallows' Grove."

And with that, Mila went hurrying down the hall until she reached her bedroom and slipped inside. Link watched until she slammed her door shut to move. His boots sounded loudly on the staircase as he made his way downwards.

"Link?" Amira called out. "Do you want to eat?"

He glanced over to the other side of the room where a woman seemed to be dusting. Her mahogany hair was tied up in a tight bun with bangs framing her face. With those vivid green eyes and fair skin, Mila would have been a spitting image of this woman had she been older. Like Mila, the woman was wearing a white spaghetti strap, although her skirt was red and a knife clung to the side of her hip via a belt.

"No ma'am," he responded.

"Alright. Just be back by lunchtime. I won't be letting you skip two important meals."

"Yes ma'am."

Amira's eye twitched. "...Tell Ronak I said hello."

"Will do, ma'am."

Link had to duck to avoid getting wacked in the face with a feather duster.

"I'm not that old," she glowered. "You don't have to call me 'ma'am' _all the time._"

They ended up in an intense staring contest with the woman basically _daring _Link to say it again The brunette did his best to keep his expression as neutral as possible.

"...Yes ma'am."

There was no ducking out of the way of an incoming picture. Link was just glad that he made it to the front door when the knife attached to her hip was thrown airborne. He yanked the door open and slammed it shut just in time for it to connect with a sickening _thunk._ Amira had quite the arm.

Link's merriment was swiftly diminished as he pulled himself away from the door. A frown crossed his lips as he took a glimpse at the sky. It was much brighter than he had imagined, the sun stretching up high into the heavens to show that it was nearly noon. People were bustling back and forth past buildings as they went about their day, adults taking care of their household chores and children running around as they cheerfully played a game of tag.

Linfei was a tiny, outlying village that lingered within the treeline of the forest. A stone barrier had been erected around it, forming a large circle designed to protect the inhabitants from outside attacks. The main gate was made entirely out of wood and sconces hung from various points to provide light at night. The trees closest to the barricade had been systematically chopped down to prevent any intruders from slipping in from above. It was common for most villages to be fortified nowadays to prevent the residents from falling under attack. Once it was the stalcreatures that were the problem, all of them easily repelled by torchlight, but now it was monsters everyone needed to fear. Even with the protection, villages were still known to overrun them and hardly ever left survivors.

Everything considered, Link often felt as though he were suffocating every time he caught sight of the walls. He understood the necessity fairly well but he more than often spent his time outside of them instead of within. He frequently thought that having one entrance in and out of the village was a major mistake. It did make guarding the perimeter much more easier. However, it also meant that if an attack _did _break through, everyone would be trapped. When Link had first arrived, he had voiced his thoughts to the mayor, only for them to retort that he was just being paranoid.

So one very paranoid Link waited until there was a point where not many people were around and used his last remaining bomb to create a backdoor. He had learned over the last fifteen years to not leave anything to chance.

His feet had taken him to the other side of the village. Yes, Linfei was small but there were enough folk within it to make him vaguely displeased when they proceeded to get in his way. Link swears that he almost bumped into the same guy twice. Regardless, he ended up where he needed to be. The only sword training place within the entire village.

"You think too much," a deep grumble resonated through the air. "In a fight, thinking can get in the way. You must rely more on your reflexes."

A large and burly man was in a fighting stance with a wooden practice sword in hand. He was large for his size, his age peaking at sixty with large muscles that informed onlookers that he had trained for a majority of his life. It was said that he retired from Hyrule's military force with a rank of a Captain because he found himself getting too old to continue. Link quietly debated on whether or not that was true when he nimble side-stepped an attack and retaliated with a blow that knocked his opponent to the ground. That was Ronak.

"I'm _trying,_" retorted the combatant. He sat up in the dirt with crossed legs as he glowered darkly in Ronak's direction. "It's not my fault that you're impossible!"

That was a boy about thirteen. He had red hair that was dark enough to often be mistaken for black, the fringe moved forwards to shield his left eye (Link heard rumors that his irises were heterochromic) while the right one was as gray as steel, lacking the familiar light that often danced inside many. He was dressed a majority in black, hanging tightly onto two wooden daggers.

Ronak sighed. "Would you like to take a break, Kol?"

"You want me to stop? Hell no, of course not!"

"Troubles?" Link had spoken up. It was really to help Ronak out. The elder looked as though he was just about ready to tear out his own gray hair. The man was quite relieved at his intervention and allowed it to show by smiling.

"Not at all. I was just teaching Kol about fighting." The smile dissipated some. "He does not understand how using his reflexes are important. Thinking in battle, especially when facing a worthy opponent, is needed yes, but it is also useless when the enemy is faster than your thoughts. Link." The brunette straightened at the mention of his name. "Would you like to spar with me? Perhaps a demonstration would teach Kol."

Link nodded and strode over to the closest barrel that held a decent amount of wooden swords. He plucked one up and tossed it back and forth between his hands to get a feel of it. As he had expected, it was too light for his liking, but he could make do. He brandished it out in front of him to get use to it's weight before taking his place in front of Ronak. "I only have time for one round. Mila is expecting me soon."

"I see." Ronak got into a stance, his knees slightly bent with one foot placed a couple of feet forwards and the other one back, the hilt of the sword was gripped in two hands and pulled back to the left side of his hip with the blade held up at a slant. It was most certainly a soldier's posture. "We don't want to keep the young lady waiting then."

Link's pose was a little different. He too bent his knees, as doing so allowed for better movement, but he held his sword off to the side in his left hand with his right hand held in front of him as though he held a shield. "Exactly."

He was vaguely aware of the fact that Kol seemed to realize that he was in the way and swiftly hopped to his feet to take a few steps back. A good decision on his part, when Ronak darted faster than a man his age should with a downwards strike at ready.

Link held his sword upwards to parry the blow aside. Finding Ronak off-balanced, the brunette lashed at his left side.

It was common knowledge that most swordsmen were right-handed. Most of Hyrule's populace were, and thus have trained to fight right-handed opponents. Link's minor anomaly allowed him a faint advantage that he learned to exploit that to his best ability. Most people and creatures utilized shields in their left hand. They were use to protecting their left side and attacking with the right. When facing Link, their shield arm was in mirror of his own and made it difficult for them to protect themselves when attacks hit from their left. Link himself held better odds in a fight since he was use to fighting the right-handed. If he needed to, he could even switch his sword arm because he _trained _to do that.

Against Ronak, that tactic was nearly nullified at the veteran pulled his sword back in time to block.

_Thwack._

Link's arm vibrated from the force of his own attack being stopped so abruptly. A flurry of other attacks soon found Link and Ronak in a swordlock, each one pressing against their sword in an attempt to overpower the other. The odds were certainly favoring Ronak, as his build towered over Link's own. However, Link's pride as a swordsman and will to win was what kept him at the same pace as the old man. They glared at each other with teeth bared and sweat beading on their skin as they fought for supremacy. The one with the least amount of stamina would be the first one to fall; Link knew that it would be him.

So after a split second of an internal debate, Link kicked the man in the leg as hard as possible. He had been careful not to aim a bit higher. This was, after all, a _spar _and not a fight to the death. Regardless, the kick received the desired effect and Ronak buckled, letting up on Link's blade. As soon as the pressure slackened, Link ruthlessly shoved the elder's sword aside and swiftly executed a spin attack. Ronak, having been at the end of it once before, felt no craving to nurse a massive bruise and threw himself backwards into the dirt. Link's sword passed harmlessly overhead and Ronak was going to make a move to get up before he found a sword pointed at his throat and Link staring down at him with narrowed eyes.

Those eyes did not belong to a teenager, they belonged to a warrior with little to lose. It sent chills down Ronak's spine to have them looking at him in such a way and it wouldn't be the first time he wondered about the brunette's past. The young Hylian often did not speak much about himself, often changing the subject when asked.

"I yield."

Link's fierce glare let up instantly. He pulled his sword out of Ronak's way and held his hand outward instead. The elder Hylian grabbed it and forced himself upward. He grunted as Link stepped away, brushing the dirt from his clothes. Ronak wasn't as young as he use to be.

"You getting better and better," he commented. Link stiffened when Ronak clapped him on the back. "I expect that you would have no issue rising through Hyrule Castle's ranks should you wish to join them."

Link felt his jaw clench as his grip tightened around the hilt of the practice sword. Ronak either didn't notice or didn't wish to bring it up and instead faced Kol. "You're turn."

"Acting and reacting," Kol huffed. He spun the daggers in his hands around his fingers. He scowled when they nearly slipped from his hands. "How annoying."

"Annoying or not, it's mandatory. Now get into your stance."

Link watched with slight interest as Kol held his the wooden daggers with the blades pointed outwards. His entire body was coiled as though he were a snake poised to strike. In Link's eyes, it was nearly a crude imitation of the Gerudo; a desert-dwelling race of female warriors. He had come across them once before when he was younger. As beautiful as the russet-skinned warriors were, they had sniffed when they caught sight of Link and called him an unworthy voe. Having restricted himself from correcting Kol's stance, Link bid Ronak a quick farewell and let the two be to make headway to Swallows' Grove.

Swallows' Grove was a small cluster of trees furthest from the Linfei's entrance. It had a small pond full of frogs and lilypads at it's centre with various different swallows flitting through the trees, hence it's name. It was a favored spot within Linfei due to it's peacefulness. Link believed that the forest-dwellers kept this standing because they missed the surrounding trees and feared to leave the safety of the village lest they be attacked.

Mila was waiting beside a tree with her eyes focused above. Her emerald gaze flickered through the leaves and she didn't move them to meet Link's when he stopped by her side.

"That one." Mila's voice was in a whisper as she pointed to a bird that seemed to be making a nest. "That's the one I want."

It was a beautiful bird. It was a glistening white with ruby red covering the entirety of the back side of it's body. A small, red heart was shaped on it's small chest, seeming to beat with each small breath the swallow took.

"Then go ahead and get it," Link commented. That encouraged Mila enough to look away from the small avian to stare at him. Link stared back, wondering what he had said was wrong. Then realization slowly dawned on him.

Oh. When Mila had said that there was this bird she wanted to catch, she had meant that there was a bird that she wanted _Link _to catch. _She _would be watching from the sidelines. He vaguely wondered if there was a song out there that called birds towards people. He knew that there was one for horses.

Link held back a sigh and instead steeled himself to closer to the tree. He hopped up and grabbed a thick branch before swinging himself up with an ease that implied that he had done this many a time before. Mila couldn't help gawking as he ascended as quickly as a monkey. The birds were not pleased with their giant companion and let that known by fleeing from their perch. Mila's bird went flying with them too.

Mila huffed as she watched her swallow dart away. Of course Link couldn't get close to it, birds were fickle creatures. She turned back to the tree he was, expecting for him to be climbing back down. Instead, her brows knitted together when she noticed something.

Link was not there.

How could that be? She could have sworn that he was just approaching the branch that her swallow was on. Her green irises scanned through the leaves. He couldn't have just _disappeared._

Oh! There he was, sitting where Mila had last seen him. He was just so still that she didn't catch sight of him until she looked again. He was holding onto separate branches with his body tensed as though he was going to jump. He didn't shift and didn't seem to blink.

He was extremely still to the point where Mila couldn't tell if he was _breathing._

The birds slowly began to return. Mila didn't notice it until their bright chirping filled the air and continued to grow. They eventually settled on the tree Link was raising in, seeming to hardly notice his presence as they lingered close. Link waited... and waited...

Boredom had threatened to succumb Mila as she waited anxiously for her bird's return. She didn't know how Link could do it, hanging suspended from the branches in that form. His patience would be another thing about him she would admire.

Just as she was about to call it off; they could try again tomorrow, she caught a brief glimpse of her bird. It was flying gracefully through the leaves, much to her delight. Mila opened her mouth as her gaze darted back in Link's direction to call out to him. She knew that he was there and yet her mind had to refocus to acknowledge where he was before she snapped her jaw shut with an audible click.

Link's eyes had narrowed dangerously in a way that informed her that he was completely focused. They followed the bird around the branches with startling precision up to the point where it landed back on a perch closest to it's nest. She noticed when his muscles tensed at how near it was and wished that he would hurry up and catch it. Yet still Link waited.

Mila couldn't grasp on how she was still surprised when he _did _move.

There was the rustling of leaves, the snapping of branches, and a dark blur as Link finally sprang from his spot in the trees. Various birds took flight with surprised cries but none of them held his interest. There was only one he needed.

Mila's bird released an undignified squawk as Link's nimble fingers closed around it's torso. The bird was a little too slow on spreading it's wings, unable to react until Link was right on it. Mila sucked in a breath as gravity overtook Link's form and he went plummeting to the ground.

It seems her worry was unneeded. The Hylian bent his knees and rolled as soon as his boots hit the ground, leaving him a little dusty but unharmed. It didn't keep Mila from hurrying to his side to make sure he was alright. When she was certain that he didn't receive an injury, it was only then that she giggled at him. Link raised an eyebrow, looking more dubious then anything, as he regarded her. Mila didn't have it in her to point out leaves that made themselves at home in his brown locks and instead shook her head.

"Er, here's your bird," Link commented, as though he just realized that he had it. He held it outwards towards her with thinly veiled surprise, like he hadn't believed that he would be able to catch it. To be honest, Mila didn't think he would either. She wanted to test it though because Link, no matter how impossible the task given to him was, _always _undertook it without so much as a complaint. "What did you need it for?"

Mila giggled as a secretive look passed over her face. "It's a _secret._"

Link's eyes glinted with a familiar light. A light meaning that something had caught his interest and he was curious about it. One thing most people didn't get was that Link was not only a traveler, but an adventurer. The quest of the unknown called at him for attention. Mila herself had found out about it accidentally. She hadn't meant to collect Link's attention though. She doubted that he would relent on figuring out Mila's mystery until he either got an answer or she did something about it.

"It's a surprise for your birthday present," she tacked on. "I needed the bird to help finish it for tomorrow. You're turning sixteen, right?"

His reaction... was not something Mila was expecting. Link's expression was like a door closing, every emotion present being banished until only a bland slate remained. His eyes were too clear, his face too blank. Mila couldn't read him and she didn't like it. "You don't have to."

"I'm doing it because I _want _to," Mila retorted. "You won't be here forever because you're a traveler and I wanted to give you something before you leave."

_A traveler._ That was kind of Mila. Link didn't fancy himself as a traveler; they usually had _some _place to return to. No, Link was a nomad. A wanderer. He had no home and the less people he knew, the better. He did feel admittedly guilty when Mila brought up him leaving because he was actually planning on disappearing from Linfei tomorrow at dawn.

That guilt must have someway made itself out into the open because the bright smile Mila had faltered.

"You... you were planning on leaving soon, weren't you?"

A pregnant silence spawned in the area, which seemed to answer Mila's question far more than Link's voice might have been able to. The bird in Mila's hand was surprisingly still as they stared at one another.

"You'll at least stay long enough for me to give you your present, won't you Link?"

Mila looked at him with such hope, it tugged at his heart. How long has it been since he had felt such hope himself? How long has he gone with gloom latching onto every thought as it appeared to siphon his very will? He simply didn't have it in him to diminish such brightness in another.

Finding himself unable to speak a word, Link slowly nodded.

The reaction was instantaneous. Mila's smile returned in full force as she beamed at him with enough happiness to rival the rays of the sun. "Great! Trust me, you'll like it! I've been working on some magic stuff some other travelers left me and–"

She snapped her jaw shut with her eyes widening and her free hand clamped around it for good measure. Link couldn't help but chuckle at that face. It seems as though she were about to give away what the surprise was.

_Magical stuff?_

"I-I'm going to get started on it!" she squeaked. Then she proceeded to run off with the bird trapped in her iron grip. Link watched her go with a soft smile on his lips. It wasn't until she was out of sight that he allowed it to dissipate.

It had been a few years since he had last celebrated his birthday. Only Amira and Mila knew about it only because the latter had pestered. Perhaps he could celebrate it just this once with them. It might do to let himself have a small luxury.

He couldn't ignore the sickening pit that had settled in his stomach.

* * *

Link didn't return to the inn until dusk. He was aware that Amira would not be pleased; he had said that he would be back by lunchtime, but he had to check Linfei's stores for resources. Lurai's market had nothing he needed and anything he did was way too overpriced. The only thing he managed to buy was a couple of apples from Wiven's apple stand in order to quell his hungry stomach.

It was safe to say that he was hesitant of entering when he met the Kolog Inn door. Amira was on the other side.

He released a resigned huff from his nose and slowly forced the door open. It was well oiled and maintained, allowing him to enter and close it shut quietly behind him. Link's sight flicked over to the counter where Amira was most likely to be. He nearly sighed in relief as a guest in a crimson cloak stood in front of her and seemed to be talking about the price of the room depending on the stay. Link took a small step to the staircase in hopes of skirting around her and heading to his room.

"You stay right there, young man."

He froze. Amira couldn't know that he was there. Her line of sight was being blocked.

Yet those thoughts were scattered into the wind as Amira leaned around the guest to glare pointedly in Link's direction that basically said _don't-you-dare-move._ He relaxed his stance and held his hands up to show Amira that he had no intentions of attempting to flee her seemingly psychic gaze. The woman disappeared from sight as she continued her talk with the guest. "Just head up the stairs. Your room will be the first door to the left."

The person nodded and turned to make a move to the path indicated. He glanced over at Link and for a split second, their eyes met.

A sense of dread overcame Link in the form of a wave. It collapsed brutally from overhead as he took note of the person's gray skin. He was wearing a white, one-piece suit with a large and priceless red gem attacked it his waist. The single blue earring that hung from his ear swayed in motion with his ivory hair. The right eye was hidden behind a lock from his crown but the left one was a brown so dark, it seemed almost black. A vast multitude of emotions flitted through the man's cold eye but the one that suck out the most was absolute _loathing__._

Link casted his thoughts into his past to see if there was something he had done to warrant such looks. He frowned when he couldn't come up with a single thing. Link had never even _seen _this man before now. And there was so much hatred... Perhaps it was a case of mistaken identity?

The animosity was quickly concealed from view as a carny smirk replaced his features. Link had to suppress a shiver as the man continued to stare and privately thanked the goddesses when he walked away. Nonetheless, Link refused to look away even long after the man had had disappeared from his sights. Everything about that guest screamed _bad._

It was only by Amira speaking did he feel it necessary to look away. "Link, you skipped your meal. _Twice._"

He offered her an apologetic front and said with a faint note of optimism, "I had a couple of apples?"

Okay, so maybe his uncertainty got in the way. Link was never sure how to take in Amira's motherly antics. There were times when it was a painful reminder that he didn't have one. Mercifully for him, this wasn't one of those times.

"Apples?" Incredulity sounded in her tone. "Link, those would barely classify as a _snack._ I'm talking about actual food."

He gave her what was probably an unhelpful shrug. Amira ran a hand over her face with a loud sigh. "I made dinner. Go eat it before it gets cold."

Link could sense that there would be no use arguing. Besides, he _was _hungry, so he made his way silently to the kitchen and helped himself to the broth waiting for him. Mila was already seated at the table with her bowl in front of her and a smile that appeared when she saw him. Link smiled back and sat down at the other side of the table. Amira trailed after and seated herself at the end.

There was only idly chatter that would rise occasionally as they ate. It seems as though Amira had spent a majority of the day finishing her chores while Mila had locked herself up in her room.

"Link caught a bird for me," she chirped, gaining a tender smile from her mother.

"Oh? Is that why you had the poor creature in your hand?" That smile became teasing. "I hope that there aren't feathers all over the floor."

Mila's cheeriness dropped as her gaze fell onto her bowl.

"...There might be one or two," she admitted. Link and Amira chuckled.

"And Link? What did you do today?"

The brunette tensed when attention fell solely upon him. Like Mila, he found his bowl much more interesting. "...Sparred with Ronak and caught a bird."

Mila laughed. "Momma's talking about _after _you did that."

The woman shushed her daughter. "If he doesn't want to tell me, he doesn't have to."

It's not like Link had done anything specifically. He just visited the shop to buy resources. It was a simple explanation really and wasn't as big as a deal as Link knew that he was making it to be. It's just that if he told Amira, she would put two and two together and realize that he would be leaving soon. He wasn't ready to tell her just yet.

He will eventually. He at least owed her that.

"I'm going to go to bed." Link stood up from his seat with his bowl in hand. Mila looked as though she were going to protest. He was relieved when Amira stopped him. He rinsed out his bowl, setting it on the counter before leaving the kitchen altogether. The man from earlier was long forgotten somewhere in the back of Link's mind as he ascended the staircase. When he made it to his bedroom, he collapsed on the mattress and stared up at the ceiling.

He wasn't exactly sure when he fell asleep. Link found himself walking alone in a white mist that obscured everything from sight. Each step seemed to turn his limbs into lead and it was getting harder to move. Somewhere along the way, a symphony of screams had started up and seemed to come from all sides. No matter what he did nor how long he walked, he was unable to make any headway to assist those who were in obvious need. The loud cries continued to persist, growing louder by the second. It didn't matter if he moved forwards, backwards, or to the sides. He wasn't making progress.

_And the screams kept getting louder._

"Link! Link!"

His body woke up long before his mind did. His hand darted to whatever had been roughly shaking him and clamped around it like an iron vise. There was a faint cry, woman by the sound of it, and a sense of urgency in the air. His eyes snapped open in a glare towards the one he deemed as an attacker.

"Amira?" he grunted as he shook the sleepiness from his mind. His glare dissipated into worry when he took note of the pain that showed on her face. "What's wrong?"

Her eyes flicked pointedly towards Link's hand. It was enclosed tightly around her wrist. He immediately released it from his grasp, hastily apologizing all the while.

"Forget about that," Amira hissed. "We need to go. _Now._"

It was then that Link grew aware of the fact that the screaming in his dreams had followed him to the waking world. Or perhaps it was the other way around. Mila drifted at Link's bedside with her brows drawn together and eyes alight with worry. "Monsters are attacking."

"A Bullbo stormed down the entrance gate," Amira stated. She and Mila stepped aside when Link pushed himself out of bed. "The village is in ruins."

He shoved his feet into boots as he thought. His hand enclosed around the belt laying on the dresser and he buckled that and his cherished pouch to his waist. It wasn't until Link had plucked the sheathed sword from where it rested on the wall and strapped it to his back did he speak.

"We won't be able to make it to the entrance. That's the only way to enter the village, which means that it will be guarded. Our best bet is to make it to the hole."

Mila's face scrunched up in a way that told Link that she was thinking. Amira was more perplexed.

"Hole? What hole?"

"Oh!" Mila exclaimed as though she has just figured out the location to the world's greatest treasure. "Are you talking about the one that you blew up in the wall?"

_"What!?"_

"Contingency plan." Link was eerily nonchalant as he brushed off Amira's incredulity. "And yes, it's the very same."

"When..." Did Amira _really _want to know? "When did you do that?"

Mila frowned as she regarded her mother. "Don't you remember that huge boom that happened a couple of weeks after Link first got here?"

It wasn't like she could forget. It was alarmingly close to the Inn and Amira thought it was an attack. She ran to the noise fearing that it might have happened around her daughter (and her unwillingly adopted son). Mila and Link _were _there, much to her dismay but with neither on harmed and Link resting his shoulder an a large crate that had been loitering nearby for years. They had both said, with Mila wearing a cheesy smile,that there was nothing to fear.

_To the entire village._

"Oh, goddesses," Amira murmured. Her fingers found themselves rubbing her temples. "If this wasn't a serious situation and we had no need of using that hole for an escape, I would lecture you about damaged property, _lying, _and improper use of bombs."

"You don't have to worry much about the last one, I never got to replenish them. We'll have to rely on stealth to get past the enemies." A thought suddenly dawned on Link. "The guest; have you told him about the invading monsters?"

Amira shook her head. "He wasn't in the room when I checked."

Link tried not to seem relieved by that fact. Really, he did. That stranger just made him feel _uncomfortable._ The brunette was trying his hardest to not send any ill-will the man's way.

"Alright, then we should be going to. Mila, stay close to Amira. I want you both behind me as we move. And remember to be _very quiet._"

Mila nodded furiously as she grasped Amira's hand. The women's other hand pulled the knife out and held it clenched tightly in her digits. Link pulled out his own sword and braced himself as he rested a handle on the door. He pulled it open carefully and glanced up and down the hallway.

It was relatively peaceful. It would seem as though everything would have retained it's normalcy if it weren't for the bloodcurdling screams that continued outside. Whatever deaths were being brought, they were not quick and easy.

Link grit his teeth at the thought as he moved through the hallway. He was wondering who would die tonight, running the statistics of survivor percentage, people, where they lived, and combat ability. Ronak might have a shot at surviving, since he had the most fighting experience out of everyone here. However, he also had a huge heart. The enemy could exploit that. Which ones had the worst outcomes though? The survivors or the dying?

There was that blanket of depression again. As Link descended the steps with the girls' behind him, he mentally tried shoving it back where it came from. A quick glance to ensure that the room was clear left a pang of longing in his soul. After tonight, he was sure that nothing would be the same. Mila would be introduced to horrors better left unvisited and Amira would have to deal with watching him cleave through enemies with as little effort as he could muster. It almost made him want to retreat upstairs and wait this whole attack out.

Doing that however, would be a mistake. When an attack such as this will began to dwindle, the remaining troops would search building to building for survivors and cut them down. Monsters would outnumber the survivor and lower survival chances to a zero percent. It would be much better to try an escape when their attention was divided on slaughtering innocents that were out in the open.

It was sickening to think about, knowing that his survival relied on the death of others. If it had just been himself, Link would be charging into battle, preservation be damned. As it were, he had Amira and Mila depending on him. He wanted them to live.

_They have to._

The screams from outside became a lot more sharper when he pulled the door open. Link and the girls' were startled when a figure came streaking back. It was just Wiven, fleeing from the monsters as quickly as he could with his expression twisted in obvious fear. Something airborne went streaking after him and collided with the center of his back. Link swallowed hard when he quickly found that it was a spear and Wiven was no longer moving. A Moblin, a tall and bulky monster that had a face that seemed crossed between a dog and a pig, sauntered over to him. It paused when it noticed Link in the doorway, staring at it with wide eyes. It released a snort.

Link didn't even allow it to reach for it's spear when he thrust his sword into the Moblin's chest.

Mila let out a small shriek as it crumpled to the ground. Link looked around the vicinity for any other dangers before whirling around and meeting her gaze. "Follow me and be quiet."

Amira set her jaw in determination and walked after Link while keeping Mila close by her side.

Link took care of most of the monsters they came across. Bokoblins, Bulbins, Moblins; it was nearly the entire -blin family. The sneaking probably made the journey a lot longer than it should be and Link could only sigh in relief when he spied the crate. He had to chop off the head of an unsuspecting Bokoblin for them to even get past. It died and poofed into dark purple smoke.

_Hold on, are these monsters sick or something?_

He frowned, looking at the blade of his sword as it was lit up with firelight. The blood wasn't the usual crimson, instead dripping off his blade in ebony black. Even monster blood was often red and for it to be so dark was admittedly worrying.

"Link," Amira whispered, calling for his attention. He lowered his sword to see her looking at the crate. Right, he would have to worry about this later. He braced his shoulder against the center of the crate and pushed.

_Goddesses, why did I think this was a good idea__? _he demanded. He grit his teeth as he pushed against the crate with all his might. A small, logical reasoning that he could come up with was that he didn't want enemies sneaking through his backdoor so he had to find something heavy to replace it.

It didn't prevent him from cursing it as much as he could beneath his breath when the crate only moved half a foot.

"Kyaaa-mph!"

Link whipped around with his sword drawn. He had been expecting a monster to be attacking. To his horror, it was something else instead.

It was Amira laying on the ground, gasping soundless into the night sky as blood escaped the catching in her throat. The ground beneath her was being dyed red as her knife laid forgotten at her side and her dainty fingers closed themselves around her neck. The blood kept pulsating and Link knew that there was nothing he could do to stop it. He was completely frozen as he watched her body still.

"It would seem as though mother dearest has taken her last breath," came a sneer. Link had unwillingly removed his gaze from Amira's fallen form to see who had spoken. He felt a jolt run through his body as he caught sight of Mila hanging from someone's arms with tears dripping down her face and the end of a blade pointed towards the side of her neck.

The person that was holding her was the guest from the Inn.

"Now how should we take care of the daughter, hm? Shall I kill her myself or have her die by your hands?"

Link glared darkly at the man with as much anger as he could muster. All it did was encourage a smirk onto the man's ivory lips, making Link's rage fester.

"Yes, I think the second one would do just nicely. I cannot think of a more fitting punishment for the Hero."

Before Link could even take a step towards him, the man and Mila disappeared, leaving behind a cluster of white fragments that quickly faded seconds afterwards. The Hylian was left staring thunderstruck at the spot they had just been in. Did he just... _teleport?_

There was a shift in the air behind Link. That was the only foretelling he had as he rolled forwards. Something passed harmlessly overhead.

"I admit, you're current incarnation is a better fighter than when I first met you." Link had straightened up to find that the man had appeared behind him. There was no red cloak on his back, no Mila in his arms, but a thin and deadly weapon in his hand. "But you're not exactly up to par, Hero. I don't mind, it means that I can play with you as long as I want."

"What exactly do you want," the brunette snarled.

"Oh, we'll get to that in a second but first..." the man brandished his sword out in front of him. "Let's fight."

If he wanted a fight then Link was definitely going to give it to him. Link lashed out with all the strength he could gather, sending blow after blow at the opponent. The man blocked or parried them with startling ease. He had even completely dodged on of them with nothing more than an artful smirk. It was _frustrating._

And it had gotten even more so when the man started teleporting.

The first time he had done that, Link sent a stab at what he would later reflect on as an opening that was far too obvious. The man disappeared with a flurry of white fragments and next thing Link knew, something sharp lingered beside his neck and a faint chuckle sounded behind his ears.

After that, Link had been shoved forward a couple of feet. He stumbled like a newborn deer before he finally got a grasp of his motor functions. He felt his ears burn when a derisive laugh sounded after him. What had been pressed against his neck was no doubt the man's sword and he could have _killed _Link right then and there if he wanted. And yet all he did was push and laugh. He _let _Link live. The man was mocking him.

To him, this fight was just a game.

Link spun around with a battle cry as he attacked with startling ferocity. Every teaching that he had garnered from both Ronak and his late master poured into his attacks. His moves got harder to telegraph and with each strike, he was closer and closer to hitting the enemy. The man must have noticed as well because his teleporting had increased.

With each teleportation, there was an attack. Link had been nicked more times than he could count, finding it tricky to predict where the man would next show up. Sometimes he would think that the man appeared behind him and turn around only to get sliced somewhere else. Other times, he would think that the man teleported off to the side and narrowly spin around in time to block a fatal blow from behind. It soon reached a point where Link was defending more than attacking.

Then the teleporting abruptly stopped and Link found himself alone. _No, not alone._ His ear twitched as he heard faint, rapid breaths behind him. The man must have been tiring instead. This was Link's chance!

His grip on the hilt tightened and Link found himself spinning around as quickly as he could. A small laugh sounded in the air as he threw his blade forward, wanting more than anything to just kill this infuriating man and be done with it.

It was Mila who cried out instead.

Link felt his hand slacken, his eyes widening, as the end of his sword pierced Mila right in front of her heart. The girl was clutching the blade tightly in her hands, cutting into the skin as her lifeblood flowed from her heart. She was being held upright in the man's arms. The man who snickered and allowed her to drop to the ground like stone. To fall from Link's sword.

The man was forgotten completely and sword discarded as Link crumpled to his knees my Mila's panicking form. Her small, shaking hands clutched at Link's arms with panic overtaking her expression. Her lips kept forming Link's name but her voice was instead replaced with crimson bubbles that popped and leaked down her face. He must have stabbed a lung.

_"Stay with me!"_ he cried. His pulled away from Mila for a moment, his heart wrenching as her flailing hands continued to try grabbing onto him. Link rifled in his back for something, _anything _that he could use to heal her. Lurai's suddenly overpriced wares no longer seemed expensive in this event.

Link tried to swallow the rock that appeared in his throat. He had _nothing._ No potion, no fairy, nothing to help Mila with this. He wasn't even sure that they _would _be able to heal her.

"Shh, you'll be okay," Link whispered. He tried to smile as he blatantly lied to Mila and he doubted that his tears were making it believable. Still, Mila's sharp cries softened. "You'll be fine. You'll heal up real quick, I promise. You just need to sleep."

Mila stared at him. It was obvious that she didn't believe him, she was too smart for that, but she tried to take comfort in his words and closed her eyes. Her breathing grew shallower and shallower as he quietly hummed a tune his own mother had once sung to him.

It hurt when Mila stopped breathing altogether. Link closed his eyes as he tightened his hands around hers.

There was clapping.

"Well that was certainly more dramatic than I was expecting." The man knelt down on the other side of Mila as he sneered at Link. "How many people around you have died now? How many had protected you, died _for _you?

Link tried to glare, he really did, but he just didn't have it in him any more. That was probably why he didn't struggle when the man grabbed him by the throat.

"I hope you know that hopelessness is a good look for a Hero such as yourself. I have been that way for centuries, _watching _my master's current form be sealed over and over again by a couple of _teenagers._ It's so satisfying to watch it come from your face; to come from Hylia's Chosen. But we're not entirely done, are we? There is still another person I need to tear from you."

"...Who," Link whispered. Who else was there to take?

The man's smirk grew. "I'm so glad you asked. I'm talking about the daughter of King Balthus, future ruler of Hyrule, and descendant of Hylia herself; Princess Zelda."

That spark that had fizzled out within Link soon rekindled with a vengeance. White-hot anger seemed to be released from whatever dam it had been pushing against and he glowered hatefully at the man. Link never thought that he could _hate _so much.

"So you _do _still have some life left," the man approved. He held up his hand and the very shadows seemed to pull from the air in the form of an orb. It was an inky black that sent dread spiking through Link's system while he watched the dark smoke that curled around it glint purple in the firelight. It was giving Link a feeling as bad as the man had when the Hylian had first seen him. "That will make your birthday present all the more satisfying."

Then the man proceeded to shove the orb directly into the center of Link's chest. Link jolted, a sharp cry escaping him unbidden as pain unlike any other filled his being. Needles of ice seeped into his skin and proceeded to tear at him from the insides, gnawing as though it were a monster chewing him into pieces. He was dimly aware of the shadows wrapping around his body, changing his skin from pale to black. It invaded his eyes, mouth, nose, and ears, pouring into every crevice he could find. He could barely focus on the bloodcurdling screams that filled the night sky as _his entire body was being ripped to shreds._

Or maybe those were _his _screams.

_"I'll see you at the castle," _he thinks the man had said.

Then Link blacked out.

* * *

_**Hey, everybody. Welcome to my LoZ fanfic. It's an original story thought up by yours truly so I decided to give it a spin. Especially since I have no motivation for my other fics at this moment. I've also been reading a lot of Zelda fics, crossoves, etc and I've always loved the franchise. This is a test chapter and I wanted to see what everyone would think of it before I decided to post any more. Please let me hear your opinions on this story.**_

_**Also, nooot entirely sure how I portrayed Ghirahim. I've never played Skyward Sword and had to watch various videos regarding his and Link's interaction to get the gist of his personality.**_


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